


You’re my end and my beginning

by girlguideskickass



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dance, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ballroom Dancing, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Ice Skater Clarke, Professional Dancer Bellamy, Social Media
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 22:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15615969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlguideskickass/pseuds/girlguideskickass
Summary: The Better Blake @octaviab@bellblake just found that @cgriff is his partner and I think he forgot how to breathe- - -Clarke Griffin is an Olympic ice skating champion who goes on Dancing with the Stars and is partnered with Bellamy Blake. The internet seems convinced the pair is destined to be together, but will love blossom in the dance studio?





	1. Chapter 1

Clarke Griffin @cgriff  
Ready for my post-games Netflix binge #kristenbellisbae #dietwhatdiet 

Entertainment Weekly @EW  
PyeongChang 2018 Beloved Iceskating Duo @cgriff and @wellsjahaha announced as latest Dancing With the Stars contestants! We couldn’t be more excited! #friendlycompetition #griffinvjaha #pickaside

The Better Blake @octaviab  
@bellblake stayed up til 3am to watch his wife @cgriff skate #hewishes

Bellamy Blake @bellblake  
@octaviab is evil and can’t be trusted! You can’t listen to a word she says #imnotinloveher #couldyoublamemethough

*

Clarke wasn’t sure how Wells had managed to convince her this was a good idea. They’d just gotten back from the Winter Olympics, months of gruelling training, and now she was going to do a ten week competitive dancing show? She wanted to go back in time to punch whatever sleep-deprived version of herself had given in to Raven and her Mum’s relentless nagging about how this was a good career move.

“Who do you think you’re going to be partnered with?” Raven’s question jostled Clarke out of her increasingly nonsensical thoughts.

“I’m not sure, I don’t even know who the regular cast is.” Clarke replied, already pulling her phone out of her sweatpants’ pocket to look it up.

“Don’t you ever read the emails I send you?” Raven asked exasperatedly. “The studio sent us a list of the entire cast last night. I forwarded it to you immediately. I half expected you to do your Clarke Griffin Over-prepared thing and have dossiers on them all.” 

“Sorry to disappoint, but you know the first week after a competition all I do is sleep and eat.”

“The Good Place binge we did yesterday suggests otherwise.” 

“So, maybe I watch Netflix as well. Sue me! It’s an important de-stress routine, you know how much pressure I’ve been under recently.”

“I know, I know.” Raven responded chastened, remembering the stressful events of the PyeongChang Olympics. “But stop deflecting and look at the cast list.”

Clarke sighed, before focusing on the email that Raven had sent the night before, just as she said. She quickly skimmed the list, not recognising any of the names of the dancers. 

“You know I don’t watch the show, I don’t know who any of the dancers are. How am I supposed to guess who I’ll be paired up with?” Clarke asked. “Why don’t you just tell me who your top pick for me is?”

“We must rectify that immediately.” Raven said, hoisting herself off the couch to grab her computer. 

“I guess I could make time for a couple videos.” Clarke begrudged, shifting so she could see the screen. “C’mon, tell me your top picks first, so I know who to pay attention to.”

“Okay, so it’ll probably be Bellamy Blake, Finn Collins, or Lincoln Woods.” Raven rattled off names, ignoring Clarke’s lack of reaction. “They’re all bigger than you and their darker colouring would complement you well.” 

Pulling up a tango from last season on YouTube, Raven gestured to Clarke to settle in. 

“You’ve got a lot to learn honey, settle in. Let me introduce you to the wonderful world of DWTS."

*

Raven Reyes @rreyes  
I just introduced @cgriff to @DWTS and she has watched basically every video of @bellblake that exists 

Clarke Griffin @cgriff  
@rreyes Don’t call me out like this babe! #idonthaveacrush #wellmaybealittleone #haveyouseenhisarms

Bellamy Blake @bellblake  
Just found out @cgriff is going to be on the next season. I can’t cope with this???

Entertainment Weekly @EW  
@bellblake and @cgriff freak out about each other on twitter - is love in the air? Will they be DWTS’ first hot couple? Click here to read more! #bellarke #griffinvjaha

MTV @mtvus  
Worlds collide as @cgriff and @bellblake reveal mutual love! #bellarkeisreal 

*

“Have you seen Entertainment Weekly’s twitter account?” Clarke asked. “It’s so exasperating they’re trying to start a feud between us.”

“What do you mean start? We’ve always been in competition, Jaha vs Griffin, winner takes all. You know, the only reason I’m doing this is to finally crush you.”

“You’re dreaming, I’m so going to beat you. You’ll have to take your broken heart home in a jar when I’m through with you!”

They both chuckled into the phone, relaxing into the familiarity of their partnership.

“But seriously, Clarke, how are you feeling about all this? I saw EW’s tweets.”

“I’m fine, it’ll be fine. Plus I doubt they’ll even pair me with him.”

“Didn’t you get the email they sent us?”

“Hold on one sec, Wells.” Cursing, Clarke checks her emails. “What did they put me with him for? How am I supposed to concentrate with those muscles near me all the time? I’m not going to learn anything from him, except how to drool on a poor dancer.”

“Surely it won’t be that bad,” Wells chuckled. “Is it really that big a crush?”

“Uh, that hair, those arms! The passion and intensity with which he dances. I’ve got it bad…but have you heard about his reputation? He’s basically the bad boy of the dancing world.”

“Where are you getting your information? EW? MTV? You’ve seen what they’re saying about you right?”

“You’ve got a point. But still, he seems like bad news. I don’t know how we’re going to make this work.”

“You still have it better than me. Did you see who my parter is? Emori Murphy! You might as well write a eulogy now.”

Sufficiently distracted from the crisis of her impending new partnership, Clarke chatted with Wells, managing to forget, albeit temporarily, about Bellamy Blake.

*

Dancing With the Stars US @dwts  
We can confirm that the beautiful @cgriff and bad boy @bellblake are partners for Season 23 of DWTS! Stay tuned for exclusive coverage of their first rehearsals! #teambellarke 

lola berry @ilyjily  
i’ve never been this excited about a dwts partnership! #bellarke

hermione loves harry @sarahsteps23  
is it just me or does @cgriff and @bellblake’s partnership feel manufactured?

joshua jaxson @jjjoshhhhh  
@cgriff is so hot i can’t wait for DWTS hurry up already pls

The Better Blake @octaviab  
@bellblake just found that @cgriff is his partner and I think he forgot how to breathe 

Bellamy Blake @bellblake  
@octaviab Can you please use your twitter for something other than publicly humiliating me? #thanks

The Better Blake @octaviab  
@bellblake you named me OCTAVIA! There is nothing I can do that is worse than that.

*

Bellamy has been dreading actually meeting Clarke Griffin for weeks now, ever since Octavia outed his apparent crush on her to the entire internet. Worse yet, the producers have refused to allow them to meet until the cameras are set, Dante claiming they needed to capture their organic chemistry.

Of course this didn’t stop them from giving him a list of talking points, which Bellamy was sure would come across as awkward and stilted. And boring! No one wants to hear about their favourite colours, a monkey could write better dialogue. 

As he waited awkwardly at the front of their practice room, he tried to stretch, forcing his body to relax as he went through the movements he has done thousands of times before. Just as he was settling into a rhythm, however, he heard the door open. 

Jumping to his feet, he watched as Clarke Griffin, the actual Clarke Griffin, entered the room and headed straight for him. 

“Hi! I’m Clarke. Griffin. Ice skater.” Clarke said awkwardly, pointing at her chest as she walked towards him. 

“I know!” Bellamy jumped in, “You’re an Olympic gold medalist, of course I know who you are.”

“And you’re Bellamy Blake, dancer extraordinaire.” 

Bellamy blushed, and enveloped her in a big hug. She had to stretch a little bit on her tiptoes to comfortably reach around his neck, mentally cataloguing the way his body felt against her own.

“To address the elephant in the room,” Bellamy muttered, scratching the back of his neck nervously, “I love you, and I would love to marry you. But I need to know if you and Wells are dating.”

“No, we’re not, we’re definitely not.” Clarke rambled. “People always think that because we’ve been skating partners for so long. But we met when I was five, and I’ve always viewed him as a brother. We could never date, it would feel too incestuous.”

“I’m glad to hear! Well not about the incest bit that was weird, but about you being single.” Bellamy smiled down at her. “How do you feel about getting started with rehearsal?”

“Sure, no problem! What do you want to start with?”

Bellamy took Clarke’s hand and pulled her beside him, positioning her so that he could walk her through a couple simple steps. 

“How are your spins?” He asked. Before she could answer however, Bellamy answered himself, visibly flustered. “How are your spins? That’s the dumbest question I could ever ask, I just watched you win a gold medal for your spins!”

Clarke laughed, relaxing into his hold, before spinning across his photo and into his arms. 

“Was that okay? Do you want one foot or two? I can make any adjustments you need.” She said nervously.

“That was…” Bellamy trailed off, looking into the cameras, trying to convey how impressed he was. “That was amazing, I think we can work with that.” 

* 

The two weeks of dance rehearsals flashed by, with Clarke spending more time at the studio with Bellamy than at home. Before she knew it, she was the night before the premiere. They’d been run off their feet with the press, and the fans, and even though she was an elite athlete it was a different kind of work out than she was used to.

But as she was standing in the wings, with Bellamy’s hand in hers, listening to the cheers of the audience and her voice in the package talking about her excitement to be working with him, she couldn’t help but feel completely relaxed. 

_“Bellamy has that image of being kind of a bad boy, but it’s actually very exciting to be working with him! He’s a lovely guy, and I feel like we’re going to be great friends.”_

“Dancing the Chachacha, Clarke Griffin and her partner, Bellamy Blake.” The announcer’s voice boomed, signalling the pair to run energetically onto the dance floor. 

Three minutes later, Clarke beamed up at him as she took her curtsy at the end of the piece, as Bellamy swept her into a massive bear hug, pressing a delighted kiss to her upturned cheek. He maintained their tight hug as he slowly manoeuvred them over to the judges. 

Dante congratulated them as he tried in vain to quiet the crowd, who were giving them a standing ovation.

Marcus Kane’s words of praise were almost completely lost in the crowd’s enthusiasm, but the wide grin and big thumbs up he gave them indicated that he was pleased with their performance.

Cage’s compliments were more audible, with him awkwardly telling Clarke that she was “nice on ice, and good on wood.” 

Clarke almost died from the public humiliation, five minutes into the show and they’ve made an, albeit accidental, sexual innuendo. But Bellamy’s shocked laughter, and the tensing of his hands on her waist as he pulled her even closer to his chest, made it almost worth it. Oh, who was she kidding, it made it completely, one hundred percent, worth every single bit of embarrassment. 

Indra was also complimentary, congratulating the pair on their hard work. Bellamy and Clarke rushed upstairs to debrief with the other contestants as they eagerly awaited the scores. 

As soon as they were up the stairs, Wells tackled Clarke into a massive hug, whispering his congratulations on her routine as he held her hair. The cameras however, zoomed in on Bellamy instead, the tightening of his jaw and the minuscule step he took towards Clarke betraying his jealousy at her easy intimacy with her skating partner. 

But when the judges announced their straight 8s, Clarke abandoned Wells to wrap her arms snugly around Bellamy’s waist, beaming up at him. Proud, he pressed a kiss into her hairline, and pulling her even closer to his side, despite suggestions from the peanut gallery (aka Octavia) that it was physically impossible to do so.

*

bellarke is real @tayladreamsofdance  
“I will give you all I got.” / “I want all of it.” / “I’ve got a lot to give.” / “I know. I’ve noticed.” THE SEXUAL TENSION BETWEEN @cgriff AND @bellblake WAS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS TONIGHT

save merlin @relicofthepast  
cause of death clarke griffin smiling at bellamy blake

multishipper @jeanthompson  
when he said @cgriff was “good on wood” the only person who died more than me was @bellblake

ella graham @dancinghoe  
bellamy was clearly jealous of wells! bellarke is real y’all


	2. Chapter 2

Dancing With the Stars US @dwts  
If you missed #teambellarke first dance, watch it now on the link below!

Clarke Griffin @cgriff  
One dance down, hopefully many more to go! #imhavingthetimeofmylife 

The Better Blake @octaviab  
if you missed my big bro’s heart eyes last night what are you doing with your life??

Raven Reyes @rreyes  
@octaviab I was too distracted by @cgriff’s lovesick grin

Buzzfeed Celebrity @bzfeedc  
21 Tweets that perfectly capture DWTS’s Bellarke love! Click here to read more! #teambellarke #theloveisreal

*

Clarke was full of nerves entering the studio the day after their performance. Their first routine had been good, and Bellamy had made it a truly enjoyable experience, but social media was blowing up about their inevitable victory which was…a lot of pressure, if she was being totally honest. However those predictions were a lot easier to deal with than the internet’s belief she was secretly dating Bellamy. Which was absolutely ridiculous, they barely knew each other.

Lost in thought, Clarke absentmindedly pushed the door to their rehearsal space and almost walked straight into Bellamy who was lurking awkwardly at the door.

“Sorry!” She exclaimed, “I didn’t see you there.”

“My fault,” Bellamy replied, running his left hand through his hair. Looking over at the camera crew in the corner, he huffed, before leaning down and collecting her in a tight embrace. “Good job last night Princess. You were brilliant. As expected, of course.”

“You weren’t too bad yourself,” Clarke responded airily, leaning further into his embrace. “But I know we can do better than a 24! What dance are we doing this week?”

Bellamy regretfully let go of her, his hand once again returning to tug at his hair. “Swing. Lots of fast movements and lifts.”

“That sounds fantastic!” Clarke smiled up at him, walking towards the mirrors on the far wall and starting to stretch. “How far do you reckon you could throw me?” 

Bellamy stared after her with a bemused smile on his face, before following her, thinking about all the complicated lifts they could manage with her athleticism, not to mention her flexibility.

*

Clarke Griffin @cgriff  
Constantly amazed by this incredible man…instagram.com/post/cgriff/209328754216

Entertainment Weekly @EW  
See behind the scenes of @bellblake and @cgriff rehearsal exclusively with EW! Sparks aren’t the only thing flying in this teaser of next week’s #teambellarke performance!

omgomgomg @livlove34  
have u guys seen the new bellarke video????? their chemistry is off the charts

teri phillips @tphillips  
sweatpants on @bellblake look positively sinful #datass

The Better Blake @octaviab  
do you even lift bro? @bellblake 

*

Clarke has never felt lighter than when Bellamy picks her up and just throws her over his head! Sure Wells lifts her all the time in their skating routines, but Bellamy makes it feel so effortless. It’s a good thing too, the routine he choreographed is nonstop, and barely allows Clarke a second to catch her breath. 

Bellamy, for all his bravado, seems to be uncomfortable with the quantity of lifts, constantly checking in to make sure that she is comfortable with their routine. Clarke found herself suggesting the more risque moves, Bellamy appearing hesitant to follow through unless she reassured him she was more than able to do it. 

“Don’t you feel unsafe, flying through the air like that?” Bellamy asked her, as he tried to manage his breathing during their first proper break. 

“No,” Clarke replied, swinging her leg. “I trust you. Plus it’s fun, I feel like I’m flying around the room. There’s something freeing about being tossed around like a rag doll.”

Laughing at the expression on Bellamy’s face, she pretended to fall limp, laughing harder as he jumped forward to catch her in his arms. “But doesn’t it scare you? Surely the cynical feminist in you finds it demeaning or sexist.”

“Not at all. Besides, I believe in equal opportunity throwing. I’ve lifted Wells before in a routine.” Clarke watched as flash of inspiration took over his face. It was impressive how well she could read his facial expressions after just a couple weeks. 

“How would you feel about throwing me?” Bellamy asked. 

“How far? How high?” Clarke asked, hesitance showing on her face. “It’s different in the dance studio. Besides, you’re slightly larger than him. You could try jumping over me instead? Kind of like a springboard?”

“That could work,” Bellamy broke into a giant grin. “Do you want to try it now?” 

Instead of answering, Clarke moved into the middle of the room and stood with her shoulders tall and relaxed, patiently waiting for him to join her.

*

The Ellen Show @theellenshow  
Tomorrow I’m joined by @cgriff and @bellblake to discuss their moves on AND off the dance floor! And who knows, someone may get scared!

brienne lannister @gotfan2435  
guys they’re going on ellen!! we are Blessed #cantwait #bellarkeisreal

The Better Blake @octaviab  
Can’t believe @bellblake is going on Ellen and didn’t tell me!! #worstbrotherever

Bellamy Blake @bellblake  
@octaviab just you wait… #bestbrotherever

Clarke Griffin @cgriff  
@octaviab he got you so much merch

*

“Have you ever been on Ellen?” Bellamy asked Clarke nervously, as they waited in the green room. “Do you know what to expect? I’ve seen the videos, but she must clear the scares with the guests beforehand right?”

Clarke just laughed. “I’ve been here once, years ago with my father but I wasn’t a guest. I say it’s worth it for the free merch!” 

“You’re rich, Princess, what need have you for crappy free clothes?” 

“Hey, don’t diss free stuff! Who are you and what have you done to my dancing partner?” Bellamy laughed, ducking his head. “The Bellamy I know would never pass up a free shirt.” 

“Excuse me, Ellen’s ready for you now.” One of the Ellen show staff poked their head into their room. “If you don’t mind following me, I’ll take you to the stage.”

Pulling Clarke to her feet, Bellamy didn’t let go of her hand as he followed the staff member through the maze that was the Ellen show studio. When they stopped abruptly, Clarke almost ran into Bellamy’s back, and his hand slipped from hers to rub reassuringly on her back. 

“We’re going to be fine,” he whispered, leaning down to brush the hair away from where it had fallen in her face. “What’s the worst that could happen?” 

Smiling, Clarke followed him out onto the stage, her hand once again in his, as Ellen shouted their names to an excited audience.

*

Famous last words, Bellamy reflected, he should never have jinxed it. The interview portion had gone well enough, but Ellen had coaxed them into demonstrating the lift from their rehearsal package. 

It was early in the rehearsal week so they didn’t have a lot to choose from. They decided to demonstrate the starting position for their dance, a simple manoeuvre with Clarke fully off the ground, braced against Bellamy’s shoulder and thigh. 

It went well enough, until her leg was resting on his shoulder and Bellamy realised just how short the skirt Clarke had worn was. The gentleman that he was, he lifted his hand to pull it down, forgetting he was the only thing keeping her from the ground. Thankfully her reflexes had saved her, Clarke’s legs wrapping around him tightly to prevent her from falling, and his hands shooting back up to support her, resting dangerously close to her ass. 

Her left leg had slipped from his shoulder to rest against his chest, and both her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. This had the effect of bringing their heads close together, and Bellamy could see the strain on her face, her usual effortless air disappearing. He breathed deeply before adjusting his grip minutely, smiling reassuringly to Clarke, before turning towards the audience hoping to play it off as intentional.

But it was too late, it was pretty clear the, admittedly impressive pose, was a complete accident and he endured no small amount of teasing from Ellen. To make matters worse, his fears were realised with Ellen and Clarke conspiring to scare him, with Clarke pretending to go backstage for a drink and instead jumping him.

He remembers his scream all too well, and the way he clutched at Clarke when he realised it was her was mortifying. Somehow appearing on daytime television was enough to crack his intentionally calm and casual demeanour. It was not reassuring at all to know that his efforts to control his reactions to Clarke had been entirely undone on national television. And also trending on Twitter, according to his sister, though he was too scared to check if that was actually true. It probably was, knowing his luck.

*

Buzzfeed @bzfeed  
#Bellarke went on Ellen and I cannot contain my happiness! Read more at buzzfeed.com/news/bellamy-fixes-clarkes-dress

The Better Blake @octaviab  
…that’s my brother alright #itsnotgenetic #thankgoodness

Monty @pontymython  
never been prouder to call @bellblake a friend

Clarke Griffin @cgriff  
hey @bellblake do you offer screaming lessons?

Bellamy Blake @bellblake  
@cgriff @octaviab @pontymython I hate you all 

*

Bellamy was more nervous than he was willing to admit about their dance, but thankfully he didn’t have to say anything, Clarke recognising his discomfort and offering her silent, nonjudgmental support. She squeezed her hand reassuringly as they waited side stage as their names were announced. 

The prerecorded package played as they established themselves at the top of the stairs, preparing for their opening sequence. It was one of the more challenging parts of their routine, and their prerecorded package showed a series of missteps and falls as they tried to piece it together in rehearsal. 

Reflecting back on how far they had grown in just seven days, Clarke shook her head slightly before preparing to get into their opening position. After the mishap on Ellen, they had altered her costume to make her short skirt have a fuller petticoat, although it still finished mid thigh. She had told Bellamy under no uncertain terms was he to worry about her modesty during the routine, when she was flying around the stage she had better things to worry about. 

She grasped Bellamy’s hand, before seamlessly going into the position they had rehearsed countless times. His hand moved up her arm before resting on her bare waist, taking most her weight and helping her maintain the graceful, elongated pose required of a dancer. Clarke cursed the costume designer for her top, if it could be called that as it barely consisted of more than a fancy bra, which left her midriff bare to his touch. Ignoring the reassuring warmth of his large hands, she focused on looking lovingly into his eyes, getting into character for their dance.

“Dancing Swing, Clarke Griffin and her partner Bellamy Blake!” The host, Dante, declared, with the jazz music they had been given finally starting.

It felt like their dance passed by in an instance, with the colours of the studio blurring around Clarke as she flew all around the studio. Their complex flips down the stairs brought the audience to their feet, and when Bellamy threw Clarke backwards over his head a second after he caught her the audience erupted into the loudest cheers of the night. 

All too soon, the moment Clarke was most worried about in the routine was upon them. Dancing flirtily out of his reach, she stopped and looked back at Bellamy, beckoning him cheekily over her shoulder. 

Time froze he vaulted over her shoulders, twisting in the air to land facing her. Their eyes connected for a moment, before he used his movement to throw her up in the air in yet another backwards somersault, before following suite. 

*

Bellamy collapsed dramatically onto the ground at the end of their routine, tugging Clarke down onto him and giving her a big bear hug from behind. Their hands remained intertwined as they struggled to regain their breathing from the strenuous routine. 

He didn’t hear a word Dante said, too distracted from the adrenalin from their performance and the surprising comfort of having Clarke on top of him.

All too soon, Clarke got up and offered her hand. When he jokingly refused she shrugged, before grasping his right ankle and dragging him over towards the judges. Playing along, he put his hands behind his head in an exaggerated gesture of relaxation, winking at the closest camera. 

“She’s got you working way too hard,” the host commented to Clarke, as he halfheartedly attempted to quiet the screaming audience. Blushing Clarke ignored Dante’s words, tugging Bellamy up from the ground, successfully this time. Overcome by the audience’s standing ovation, he wrapped his arms around Clarke and pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek. 

“That swing had wings!” Cage shouted, competing to be heard with the still screaming crowd. “Fly on girl, you’re gonna be here for a while.”

Pleased to hear such positive feedback from the usually grouchy judge, Bellamy rocked Clarke back and forth, as they breathlessly thanked him. 

Unfortunately Marcus was less complimentary, suggesting that Clarke lost her timing a couple of times. Bellamy frowned and shook his head, looking into the camera to convey that he did not agree with Marcus’ criticisms.

Marcus tried to temper his critiques by saying, “I was praying for you to make mistakes. Your routine was so difficult, I don’t blame you! It was so difficult.”

“What do you think Bellamy? Dante asked, holding the microphone in front of him when he refused to let go of Clarke’s waist to grab it. 

“I just want to know where, so we can fix it next time.” 

Bellamy continued to frown as Marcus listed a number of times where he believed Clarke messed up. Whilst Clarke nodded along, the crowd booed loudly to show their support for the pair, and Bellamy leaned into their embrace to offer her his silent support. 

“I saw it too,” Indra admitted, trying desperately to quiet the crowd once again. “But what’s so impressive is you had Bellamy working his butt off!”

She continued complimenting their partnership, and how Clarke motivated Bellamy to work harder and dance better, but her words were lost as Clarke encouraged Bellamy to turn around, showing off his butt and giving it a few affectionate taps. Indra dissolved into laughter, as Bellamy turned around again to chuckle, embarrassed, before returning to their initial position, hugging Clarke. 

“I really appreciated your athleticism, Clarke.” Indra finished, the audience quieting to hear her sincere words of praise. “You really shone in this routine, congratulations to you both.” 

“Thank you judges,” Dante interrupted, taking the show to commercial. 

*

Bellamy and Clarke reluctantly moved from their tight embrace, holding hands as they raced each other to the stairs. Bellamy ruined the competition though, bowing deeply and offering her the stairs as she truly were a princess and he a mere guard. She ran up, giving Wells another a tight hug, before quickly reattaching herself to Bellamy as they nervously awaited their scores.

Bellamy’s hands tensed around her waist as both Indra and Marcus gave them an 8, but they celebrated their 9 from Cage with all of the over the top exuberance typical of DWTS. 

“25 out of 30! That’s not bad, is there anything you would like to say?” Dante asked Bellamy, not even bothering to try and pass him the microphone anymore.

“The important one gave us a nine,” Bellamy said cheekily, prompting Clarke to giggle and hide her head in his chest. 

“How do you feel about that?” Dante addressed Clarke. “He is finally happy!”

“If he’s happy, I’m happy.”

“We’re going to have to talk about that.” Dante bantered, before refocusing on moving the show along. Clarke and Bellamy danced around in their embrace, celebrating their score with Wells and Emori. 

Bellamy released Clarke abruptly as she giggled with Wells, leaving her feeling oddly cold without his comfortingly warm arm around her bare waist. Before she could dwell on it too much though, she was once again overwhelmed with laughter as Bellamy wrestled the microphone from Dante to yell “Happy Birthday Octavia!” 

*

The Better Blake @octaviab  
idk what was a better bday present, @bellblake stealing the microphone or trying to fight 2/3 of the judges over @cgriff’s honour

Clarke Griffin @cgriff  
Grateful for such a wonderful time dancing tonight, and of course a massive Happy Birthday to my fave Blake, @octaviab 

Bellamy Blake @bellblake  
@cgriff Oooft. After I let you throw me around too 

Buzzfeed Celebrity @bzfeedc  
We literally can’t even after Bellarke’s performance tonight. Relive the magic with us below!

kelly helk @kellyyyyy97  
Bellamy defending Clarke tonight was everything I never knew I need, ride or die who?

*

“How does it feel to lose to Wells for the second week in a row?” The interviewer asked Clarke, shoving the microphone too close to her face.

“I am so proud of him, and the work that he has put in!” Clarke smiled. “Emori is an incredible partner and has really brought out the best in him! I’m just so happy to see him doing so well!”

Bellamy’s hand tensed slightly as it rested on her hip, leaning down to interrupt her slightly manic answer. “We’re happy for you Jaha, but don’t get too comfortable!” Winking at the camera he added, “We’re coming for you, Wells and Emori,” before whisking Clarke away from the reporter. 

Grateful for the slight reprieve, Clarke took a deep breath. She knew she was the ‘star’ in their duo, but she didn’t realise being the primary recipient of the questions would be so overwhelming. At least with Wells journalists took care to focus on them equally. 

“Are you okay, Princess?” Bellamy looked down, a sardonic grin on his face. “I thought you’d be used to this kind of thing by now.”

Slightly taken aback, Clarke stammered out a quiet affirmation, before allowing him to steer them to the next reporter. 

“You two make the cutest couple!” The Buzzfeed reporter gushed. “Your dancing tonight was incredible, Clarke, I’m with Bellamy.”

“Thank you, it’s all a testament to Bellamy’s amazing teaching.” Clarke smiled. “But I have a ways to go, Marcus was right I was offbeat in the chorus.”

“Ridiculous!” Bellamy interrupted her, clutching at her wrist, silently encouraging her to look up at him intently. “I will not stand for this, you did amazing tonight and that’s all you need to worry about.”

Nestling back into his chest Clarke smiled up at him, before redirecting her attention to the reporter who was watching bemusedly. She knew the faster they got through all of her questions, the faster they could escape to their private dance studio. “I’m sure you have a list of questions for us. Please, go ahead!” 

“How are you finding the transition from ice skating to ballroom dancing, Clarke?” 

“It’s a little more challenging than I thought, but incredibly enjoyable. It’s all thanks to this big guy,” Clarke tightened her grip on Bellamy’s arm which was banded around her waist. “Bellamy has honestly made Dancing with the Stars one of the best experiences of my life, and I’m looking forward to, hopefully, many more weeks of this!”

“I don’t think you’re in danger of going home.” The reporter chuckled, before directly addressing the camera. “But for the viewers at home, if you want to see Clarke dance again, remember to vote for Team Bellarke.”

Upon hearing their portmanteau, Bellamy chuckled wryly. “I’ll never get used to hearing our team name. But yes, please vote for Clarke so I can continue dancing with this incredible woman.”

The journalist gestured for the camera to zoom in on Bellamy and Clarke’s bashful grins, before redirecting their attention back to the interview at hand. 

For once, the interview flew by with questions directed at both Clarke and Bellamy. It was still weird to be reminded of how the internet was convinced the duo were dating, but she broached the subject in a sarcastic way, allowing them to have fun with it, rather than defend their relationship. Still, Clarke was glad when the interview was finally complete and they were dismissed for the evening, as she was eager to get back in the dance studio and prepare for next week.

*

Dancing With the Stars US @dwts  
@cgriff and @bellblake were making us feel things tonight! Don’t forget to vote for #teambellarke if you want them to stick around.

The Better Blake @octaviab  
proud of you @bellblake I always knew my brother could fly!

Bellamy Blake @bellblake  
@octaviab … @cgriff gives me wings

The Better Blake @octaviab  
@bellblake It costs ZERO dollars not to be a sap #gross

bellarke is real @sophieg56  
OMG I AM LITERALLY DEAD GUYS did u see his tweet

*

“I knew going into this that Wells and I would be constantly compared, but I didn’t realise how much it would suck.” Clarke looked down, reflexively wrapping her arms around her waist.

“Hey, look at me.” Bellamy stepped closer to her, tipping her chin up softly with his hand. “I promise you that we will get them next week. I’ll work harder I swear. I’m sorry for letting you down.”

Clarke laughed, then sobered up when she realised he was being serious. “Don’t be ridiculous! It is definitely not your fault, we’re doing our best, it’s just taken me slightly longer to adjust to dancing without ice.” Seeing he clearly didn’t believe her, she added, “If anything, it’s me that is the problem, Bell.”

Shaking his head roughly, Bellamy stepped closer still until their bodies were almost flush against each other. “I don’t believe that. But we’ve got the waltz next week, and I believe we will do better.” Correcting himself, he emphasised, “I will do better.”  
“I’ve never danced the waltz before,” Clarke admitted. 

“It won’t be too difficult,” Bellamy reassured her. “Not for a dancer of your caliber. We can start mapping out some things tonight if you’d like?”

Clarke nodded in agreement, and Bellamy silently, slowly coaxed her arms from around her waist, guiding them to his shoulders. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist to account for the shift in weight as she went onto her tiptoes to reach his neck. Gentle pressure on her waist encouraged her to follow him as he moved gracefully around the studio, allowing Clarke to simply enjoy the feeling of dancing so intimately with Bellamy, her stress about Wells and the media melting away as they danced in comfortable silence, their slightly elevated breathing the only thing to break the quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I disappeared off the face of the planet with this fic, because I kind of forgot it existed. Sorry guys! But I'm back and I have an idea of how the rest of it will go so if you're interested it will come, hopefully quickly!!!

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written a Bellarke fic before, but I'm sick and in the middle of a DWTS binge and felt inspired. Let me know if you're interested in me continuing this???? Kudos and comments are my favourite things in the world! (Not beta read or proofread in any way yet, so be kind.)


End file.
